Baroque Period of Music - Part 2

Who was one of the superstars of the late Baroque period mentioned in the text?

• Johann Sebastian Bach

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

• Ludwig van Beethoven

• George Frideric Handel

What did George Frideric Handel's father originally want him to become?

• A lawyer

• A musician

• An opera singer

• A painter

What was the new sort of opera premiered in London called?

• Opera seria

• Ballad opera

• Opera buffa

• Classical opera

What language was the ballad opera sung in?

• Italian

• French

• German

• English

What was the public's reaction to Italian operas in England after a decade or so?

• They became more popular

• They were banned

• They imploded in popularity

• They were unchanged in popularity

What is an oratorio?

• A staged opera with elaborate costumes and scenery.

• A sacred opera that is not staged and features recitatives, arias, and choruses.

• A short musical piece typically performed as an encore in concerts.

• A modern musical genre that combines elements of opera and pop music.

Why were oratorios perceived as not having a "detrimental" effect on the spiritual lives of the audience, unlike operas?

• Because oratorios were shorter and less engaging than operas.

• Because oratorios were performed without any costumes or scenery.

• Because oratorios were performed in church and were based on sacred texts.

• Because oratorios did not include any instrumental music.

Where did oratorios first become popular before spreading to other parts of the continent and to England?

• France

• Germany

• Italy

• Spain

What was the reason for the creation of oratorios during the Baroque period?

• To provide entertainment during Lent when stage entertainment was prohibited.

• To replace operas entirely due to their declining popularity.

• To offer a new form of musical education to the masses.

• To serve as a form of protest against the church's restrictions on music.

Which of Handel's oratorios is mentioned in the text and is known for being performed more than almost any other composition of classical music?

• The Creation

• Water Music

• Messiah

• Music for the Royal Fireworks